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Cultural Significance
A Three Sisters garden is a traditional Native American agricultural technique, which can be traced back thousands of years to various Native American tribes across the US, including the Haudenosaunee people, Hopituh Shi-nu-mu, and more. The name of the garden refers to the three plants (or “sisters”) that are grown together: corn, beans, and squash. Many variations of the garden include a fourth sister, like sunflowers. These gardens were at the center of Native American culture and tradition, and there are many legends that are told about the “three sisters” who could never be separated from each other.
Growing a Four Sisters Garden
This type of garden is a form of companion planting where everything grows together in the same plot of land, instead of single rows. These plants provide support to each other, creating a symbiotic ecosystem. The corn provides support to the beans as they climb up the stalks; the beans put nitrogen into the soil; the squash plants shade the ground, preventing weeds from growing and keeping moisture in the soil; and the sunflowers protect the garden from wind and animals and attract pollinators to the garden. Not only do the plants complement each other during the growing process, they also complement each other nutritionally – corn, beans, and squash create a balanced diet with enough carbs, proteins, and vitamins.
The garden should be planted after the last frost, but the exact time will change depending on the climate and location. Corn will be planted first, followed by the beans once the corn is a few inches high. After the beans have started to climb the corn stalks, the squash can be planted. Once established, these gardens are fairly self-reliant.
What we accomplished
The concept of the Four Sisters garden was presented to us following our struggle to obtain sweetgrass plugs. We explored the idea of using the plot on the hill by Mandelle Hall, and we also discussed using the raised beds by the greenhouse. However, we ultimately decided to focus our energy on sweetgrass in the end.
This section will be updated if the project progresses.
Sources
https://www.nativeseeds.org/blogs/blog-news/how-to-grow-a-three-sisters-garden
https://www.almanac.com/content/three-sisters-corn-bean-and-squash